December 12, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
“Colors are gruel , porridge and mushroom these days seeming to reflect the interior of the people choosing them………………After all, our exteriors are our interiors turned inside out. “ Jeff Law
The other day I had the most inspiring afternoon with award winning artist, landscaper, and designer Jeff Law. Jeff produces “feel-good”gardens. He has over 30 bamboo cultivars in his landscape and only does projects he likes and mostly does not attract those types with typical plants.
Playboy magazine recently discovered Indian Summer Lodge in late 2009 and chose to do some photoshoots for its Internationl Special Edition. A reality show is also being taped at Indian Summer Lodge.
Below are some pictures of his home in the Heights, called Indian Summer Lodge. This sanctuary is for sale and for a steal! Thank you for your inspiration Jeff!
November 30, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Last week I went to TreeSearch Farms and I saw Heidi Sheesley. It was my lucky day, Heidi had a ripened Dragon Fruit from her Dragon Cactus or Pitaya and offered me a taste. WOW! I have never had anything like it and I couldn’t believe it came from a cactus! The fruit tastes like a grape/kiwi. It contains an antioxidant called lycopene which is known to help prevent cancer and heart disease.
That brings me to Heidi is having a Citrus Tasting followed by a talk to help you choose the trees you want to buy and how to care for them this Saturday December 5th from 10 to 11am. For more information, please visit this link for more information.
http://www.urbanharvest.org/classesevents/calendar/tree_sale_prep.html
November 29, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Hi! Here is a question….how do I keep varmits from scalping my cucumber and zuccini plants?!?
Andrea Berger
One of the best ways is to construct a two foot high fence around the vegetable garden out of poultry wire. I like the type that is coated in green plastic. I have found it much easier to work with. It is very important that your fence be tight to the ground or even buried a few inches. Also make sure that your fence openings are not too wide allowing squirrels to squeeze through. Unfortunately this also makes weeding, watering and harvesting a real chore.
Another way to keep these guys out 100% organic powder fox urine critter repellent that simulates the smell of a fox which is the natural predator for mice, rabbits, rats, skunks, woodchucks, squirrels, groundhogs, moles, possum, chipmunks, shrews and voles. This repellent is environment-friendly, biodegradable and does not contain any harmful chemicals. It is very stinky. This can purchased from Wabash or Academy. Good LUCK!
November 29, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Hi Jen,
Can you tell me what might be eating my Bougainvillea folliage?
Thank you,
David Vincente
David, It sounds like its the bougainvillea looper. The caterpiller is a green or brown and about 1 inch long. It feeds primarily at night, which is why you may see the damage but fail to find the culprit on the plant.
The insect will cause significant visual damage to bougainvillea, although this does not apparently result in the death of the plant.
With the cooler weather the loopers will slow down so I recommend nothing.
If you would like to use something you can spray with Bt or with Spinosad. Neither one lasts very long on the plant after it is sprayed. It probably would be good to spray about 3 times a week apart.
Jen
November 3, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Last week I consulted with my friend Grant Stephenson, owner of Horticultural Consultants in Houston, Texas and one of the country’s most knowledgable persons on bamboo. Grant always teaches me something when I visit him. Last week he taught me about Aluminim Amonian Sulfate powder for when you are dividing bamboo. It helps seal off the wound so the plant will not get infected.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant and it also occuppies the same ecological niche as that of trees. It is also a woody plant of the grass family and it grows just like a grass.
Starting from a small size, most bamboos will reach mature height within five or six years. Generally, Clumping bamboo gain about 1-2 feet of height per year, and the Running types grow about 3-5 feet per year, and spread outward at the same rate. Height and spread rate is variable depending on the species and climate. There are about 1,000 species of bamboos.
Bamboo can provide many aesthetic and functional purposes to help you create the perfect landscape. Jenscapes likes to plant a screen of fast-growing bamboo to cover an offending view or to coverup a bothersome noise. I like to call it an “animated fence” that remains evergreen and exotic-looking year-round. The sound of bamboo leaves rustling against each other will win your heart.
Below are some pictures from Horticultural Consulants.
November 2, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Hi Jen,
I’d like to plant a Mexican Plum tree in my back yard, but I’m having a hard time locating it at the gardening centers. Do you happen to know where I can purchase one?
Thanks,
Maria Cypher, The Woodlands, Texas
Hi Maria,
TreeSearch Farms which is a Houston grower and not open to the public grows the Mexican Plum. Please contact Jenscapes if you are interested.
The Mexican Plum is starting to go into dormancy. Trees going dormant look inactive going into winter but the fact is they continue to regulate their metabolism and only slow down some physiological activities. Trees still continue to slowly grow roots, respire and take in water and nutrients. .
Heidi Sheesley ,the owner of TreeSearch Farms discussed this tree in her lecture and says that it is a fabulous native spring blooming tree with very fragrant white flowers! Starts blooming in early March. Produces a small edible plum, great for making jellies and jams. Slowly grows to about 20′ x 18′. tough and drought tolerant one established. Will grow in full sun or light shade & must have good drainage. The Mexican Plum is on my top ten tree list. Sharing the plums with the Tweet Tweets is a MUST.
October 24, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Do I have Chinch Bugs?
Chinch Bugs, a member of the family Lygaeidae, are common grass pests in the Houston.
These small bugs eat grasses and can cause patches of grass to turn yellow. If you suspect you have chinch bugs in your yard and would like to see them, get a coffee can and cut open both ends. Firmly sealed coffee can into the soil of about 1″ . It will serve as a leaky reservoir. Pour water into the container, carefully not to disturb leaf clippings. After 1 to 2 you should see chinch bugs float to the surface.
Control of Chinch Bugs starts with proper lawn care. Any time can be a prime time for fungal lawn disease to move in, if your turf is stressed from lack of water, high temperatures, too much moisture or the wrong kind of care (scalping lawns etc). Your yard guys need to sharpen their blades and in the spring set their blades to Medium and in the summer set blades to the highest level so they do not scalp your yard which causes stress.
You can treat chinch bugs buy using Liquid Systematic Fungicide and Soil Activator. The Soil Activator promotes growth of good microbes that will build soil structure and humus. One gallon of this is equivalent to 7 tons of manure in term of soil bioactivation.
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October 16, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
There is an expanding brown patch of grass in the front yard , it started this past week. Could it be due to all the rain? Can grass get over-watered?
J&J Weinberg
Hello J and J,
You have Brown Patch which can be very damaging to St. Augustine in the fall. Brown patch varies in size from 4 inches to 18 inches in diameter. Brown patch is a disease from hot, humid weather. It is most common when night temperatures and relative humidity stay high for several days and are accompanied by rain. We treat our jobs with Liquid Systematic Fungicide. Brown Patch usually occurs in areas that lack good air circulation or have poor drainage.
This weekend I will be enjoying the weather and going to see some inspiring John Palmer Art in the Heights. His art is magical!
John Palmer’s Gallery is inviting Houston to a Greek Afternoon and Greek Party that will help raise funds for the Houston Heights Association’s Heights Boulevard Beautification and Reforestation.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
TIME: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
LOCATION: 1218 Heights Blvd.
Houston, TX 77008
INQUIRIES: 713-861-6726
October 16, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
“Dumb Question! What happens to the St Augustine grass we currently have? Will it return?”
Yolanda Ramirez
Hi Yolanda,
Not a dumb question….Many of my clients have asked the same question and yes it will return.
Keep in mind that there are two kinds of Rye, both annual and perennial. The difference is in the grasses’ preference of climate. Perennial is perfect for those living in cooler climates with milder summers, while annual will only live for one season and must be replanted in southern states.
The rye seed that JenScapes is applying is an annual which will give you green lawn throughout this fall and winter AND WILL CHOKE OUT YOUR WEEDS.. This Rye grass we spread will die when the weather becomes hot in late spring. Just in time for your St. Augustine to come out of dormancy.
Rye grass is what you need to keep your lawn beautiful all year long. The best time to plant for optimum forage production is September and October in fall.
After spreading seed, water lawn immediately, preferably in the late afternoon. Mow rye grass after it sprouts and enjoy a blanket of thick green grass.
Don’t skimp on the quality of seed.
BE GREEN,
Jen
October 11, 2009 - Posted by Jen - 0 Comments
Hi Jen,
How do I care for my new zoysia?
Carlos
Carlos,
Water your new sod everyday for the first 10 days then every other day for 10 days. If it rains you can skip those days. Water as needed when you first observe wilting, and water longer and less often to promote deep rooting of the grass. Zoysia is more drought resistant and when fully established has a deep root system. It should only be watered when showing signs of water stress. Indication of water stress is when the blade begins to curl inward. One of the most common mistakes of watering Zoysia is actually over watering due to it drought tolerance and overall low water requirements.
Zoysia grasses are best cut at a height of one to two inches. Begin mowing when weeds or Zoysia becomes 3inches thick and rooted. If you can easily pick up the sod square do not mow. This means your zoysia has not rooted. When mowing never cut more than half the blade length of a grass. This can dry out sod and prevent good growth. For ideal results mow from opposite directions every mowing to prevent regular training of grass blades in one uniform angled direction. When weed eating the outer edges of Zoysia grasses where grass meets objects be careful not to trim to far in or deeply. The best cut height is 1 to 2 inches in full sun and 2 to 2.5inches in heavily shaded areas.
Fertilization requirements are lower for Zoysia than many other lawn grasses. Fertilize in April, June, and August. Applications of 2-4lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually. Over fertilization will result in severe thatching.
Did you know that Zoysia grasses have a high silica content which the blades become tougher the longer the leaf is allowed to grow? Trial Tests have documented that Zoysia grasses can be mown up to ten times less per season than St. Augustine grass. This can be a considerable savings in maintenance cost. 
zoysia
